WHAT THIS EPISODES ABOUT…
Hi ladies! Today’s podcast came out of a moment of my own self awareness. It has been a tough 8 weeks as everyone is handling shelter at home during the Covid 19 virus. You may be listening to this a year from now, but regardless, I hope you hear the awareness I want to share with you today. As a therapist I have been seeing clients virtually and by phone to help people make it through this time of fear, uncertainty and massive change.
Now I am not one that usually experiences anxiety or depression. I am lucky in that regard. I have always thought that’s what gives me the opportunity to be there as much as I can when my clients need me. These last two weeks I thought was no different. I have been seeing clients virtually, sheltering at home. I have been hearing stories of anxiety and loss and lots of loneliness. Then the weirdest thing happened… and I mean weirdest! I got lockjaw! Lockjaw! Truly I had heard of it before but never known anyone to get it. And here I had it! Out of nowhere my jaw would just lock, frozen off to one side. The first time it happened I freaked. But with a little help from google and the mighty force of youtube videos, heat and ice it would just pop back. What the hell!!!!!!???
Then next thing I noticed, as I have became highly aware of my jaw, was that while I was editing my podcasts I was clenching my jaw! Virtual health with the doctor and the question asked “do you clench your jaw while you sleep?” “No, doc! Never have.” HA! Well that was a lie! That same day I woke up in the middle of the night and damned if I wasn’t clenching my jaw like a vice! So here I said to you that I usually never have anxiety…and here I am having some of the most bizarre symptoms that anxiety can give you! And leave it to me! I’m a therapist and need to talk! I’m a podcaster and need to record! I am fricking sheltered at home and my oh so big joy is eating delicious meals. And BAM! I can’t talk, I cant record and I cant eat! You know the brilliant Louise Hay would say there are always emotional or psychological issues associated with our ailments. I think my jaw was telling me to stop talking for a bit and check in with… myself! Its kind of a flaw of healers. You know the saying, “physician, heal thyself”?
So here I am podcast after podcast, years of helping others as a therapist and I had forgotten to check in with myself.